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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. current — happening now
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. current — electric
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. current — of water
  12. cap — a hat
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. game — wild animals
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. cap — a lid
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. game — a match
  23. cap — of ice
  24. rest — a break

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com